Frozen in Time
by Danielle Salvatore
Summary: It was then that Damon lifted up the tiny vial that had been sitting on the bed, holding it over to her. "And now we can start our eternity together...if you're ready." Bonnie's 21st birthday is celebrated in a special way. One-shot.


**Frozen in Time**

 **A/N: This one-shot is based LOOSELY off a RP SL I did with hopelessdream2005. Damon and Bonnie have been together for a couple of years and live in an apartment together. The writing is kind of choppy but that was sort of done on purpose...still, it probably isn't my best work. But I think it's cute :)**

* * *

Bonnie woke up to the strong and delightful scent of pancakes and eggs.

A large smile crossed her lips as she sat up in the bed, stretching out her arms and letting out a yawn. On a normal occasion, she would be disappointed at the notion of waking up without a certain vampire being by her side but today was a special day...one that held many promises.

Without missing a beat, Bonnie got out of bed and practically pranced in the direction of the bathroom. She wanted to brush her teeth and refresh herself before she even thought about leaving the safety of the second story of their apartment.

* * *

About ten minutes later, she emerged from the bedroom and into the kitchen of the apartment. But she wasn't able to make it five feet in before she was caged in a loving embrace, feeling a familiar pair of cool lips pressing against her own.

"Happy birthday little redbird."

Bonnie giggled against Damon's lips before she began to kiss him back. The kiss lasted for a few more blissful moments before they broke apart, Damon leaning his forehead tenderly against hers.

"I wasn't expecting you to make me breakfast," Bonnie said softly with a smile. "But thank you."

Damon shot her a rare, genuine smile back and planted a tender kiss on her forehead before he turned back to tend to the breakfast. "Of course I did. It is your birthday after all. Now, take a seat."

Bonnie immediately did what he asked, taking a seat at the dining room table and cheerfully waited for her breakfast.

* * *

"You got me a car?!"

Bonnie gaped as she stared at the beautiful and sleek red Porsche in front of her. She wasn't sure exactly how Damon had gotten it parked outside their apartment building without her noticing it sooner. She could only guess that he had sneaked out last night and got it while she was sleeping.

Damon shot her a charming smile and swiftly dropped her new car keys into her hand. "I believed it was due time that you got one of your own. Even though I do enjoy the sight of you in the Ferrari."

Bonnie beamed as she recalled the memories that were attached to his words. They had ridden in his Ferrari to get to almost all of their destinations, and each time it happened, she always felt a good amount of elation at the feeling of riding in such a beautiful car with her gorgeous boyfriend at the wheel.

But she had to admit that the idea of having a car that she could call her own did make her feel a huge swell of pride and independence.

She quickly spun around and pounced on Damon, wrapping her arms and legs around him in a koala hug. "Thank you Damon!" She leaned up to plant a soft kiss on his jaw. "I love it."

Damon kissed her once more on the lips, his dark eyes reflecting that familiar warmth that he really only ever had around her. "I love you as well, my little redbird. Now go and celebrate with your family and friends. I'll be here waiting when you get back."

* * *

Bonnie had gone to her parents' house first.

It almost felt chilling as she sat down at the dining room table and her mother placed a birthday cake frosted with the number '21' in red coloring on top...knowing that after tonight, she would be frozen at the age twenty-one forever. She would have a few years where she would be able to pretend to her family that everything was still normal but eventually, they would notice that she no longer ages. And although Bonnie was working on thinking up a way where she could still keep her parents and sisters in her life afterwards, she knew full well that tonight would be a definite end to a chapter of her life...or rather existence.

The aura around the table was peaceful after 'happy birthday' had been sung and they were slicing into the cake, each of them eating their own piece.

"So...how have you and Damon been doing? Has everything in school been okay?" Her mother eventually asked as she took a decent sized bite of cake.

Bonnie nodded in response, swallowing her own bite of the delicious, home-baked yellow cake before answering. "Yes. I should be all set to graduate next fall. And Damon and I...we're thinking about moving into a bigger place."

It was something that she and Damon had discussed a few times. Bonnie was aware that Damon, being the materialistic person that he was, wanted to expand their horizons by getting a bigger place for them to live. He has never said it out loud, but Bonnie somehow knew that the only reason he had gotten the apartment in the first place was because it was close to Dalcrest college. But once she graduated, the location of where they lived would no longer be too much of an issue.

Her mother smiled at the news while her father gave a light frown. It wasn't that he didn't like Damon...in fact, the few times that he and Damon had met actually went surprisingly well. But it was no secret that he was still the most cautious towards their growing relationship. "Have the two of you discussed your future?"

Bonnie flushed lightly at her father's question. She and Damon have of course discussed their future together plenty of times. But the details of that future wasn't something she could share with her family...at least not yet.

"He hasn't proposed...if that's what you're asking," she replied before standing up, quickly taking her now empty plate over to the sink.

"But do you think he will eventually?" Her mother asked. "Could you see the two of you making that step with each other?"

Something about the tone of her voice told Bonnie that she was implying that she would mind having Damon as a son-in-law.

The redheaded psychic tried to keep the devious and giddy smile that threatened to cross her lips at bay as she shrugged. "Maybe...I think so."

* * *

After she and her parents said their goodbyes, Bonnie's next destination was Mrs. Flowers's boarding house. Although she had already warned her friends that one cake would be about enough as she can eat, they still wanted to have a small celebration of their own...where gifts would be exchanged.

Mrs. Flowers, Elena, Meredith, Matt, and Stefan all sang another round of 'happy birthday' to her before the gifts began to be opened. From Meredith, she received pretty house decorations specifically for the new house that she and Damon were planning on moving into. From Elena, she got a gift card to one of her favorite clothing stores and from Matt, a big box of all of her favorite candies and junk food.

"Where's Damon? I figured he'd be here with how attached at the hip you two are now," Elena said casually as she leaned her head against Stefan's shoulder. It had taken a little time to happen but now, Elena was completely comfortable with Bonnie's relationship with Damon. She and Damon had fully accepted that they weren't good together and although her feelings for Damon had once been strong, she now only had eyes for Stefan.

"I tried to get him to come but...he wanted to stay home and plan the rest of my birthday treat," Bonnie said with a small smile, just imaging whatever it was that Damon was setting up. After tonight, they would officially be starting off the rest of their forever together after all.

"Well...that smile is very telling. I don't think we need to know more," Meredith said, her voice a mixture of her signature logic and amusement.

Bonnie blushed lightly. "Yeah...it's sure to be special."

The hours flew by and soon enough, it was time for her to go back to the apartment and finally see everything Damon had waiting for her. But before she had the chance to fully leave the boarding house, Stefan's voice stopped her.

"I'm sorry that I didn't get you a birthday present Bonnie. I wasn't sure what..."

"It's okay Stefan," Bonnie cut him off with a bright smile. "You've already given me the best present I could ask for...both me and Damon actually."

And by that she of course meant the fact that Stefan had gone back into the danger of the dark dimension to find the very thing that would allow her to happily and peacefully spend an eternity with Damon.

At her words, Stefan gave her a small smile of his own before his green eyes took on a more serious glint. "I know that you're planning on taking it tonight but...Bonnie, just remember that once you take it, you'll only have a small handful of years left before people will notice that you're no longer aging."

That was the one thing that Bonnie dreaded about her impending future. The idea that she would eventually have to permanently leave Fells Church. The town was filled with both wonderful and terrible memories memories for her but it was her home nonetheless. She was planning on finding a way to keep her family in her life at the very least but she knew that not too many people could know the secret. But it was something that she had nevertheless come to terms with as well.

She nodded her head at Stefan. "I know. And...i'm ready for it."

* * *

It didn't take her long at all to drive back to the apartment and now her heart was pounding in anticipation as she walked the remaining steps up to the front door. It was nearly time.

Damon was in the living room, greeting her the minute she walked into the apartment. He leaned forward and cupped her left cheek gently in one of his hands for a moments before pressing his lips to hers in a short but tender kiss.

"Welcome home, my little redbird. I'm assuming that you enjoyed your day?"

Bonnie smiled and nodded, briefly breaking away from him in order to place the bag of gifts she had carried with her into the apartment on the dining room table. "I did. It was a lot of fun visiting with everyone again. I still think you should have come."

An amused chuckle sounded from the vampire. "I imagine that it would have been a lot less...festive if I had been around. But we have our own celebration to attend to." He walked over to her, helping her take off her jacket by lifting it off her shoulders. After that was taken care of, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "I have a surprise for you in our bedroom."

Excitement rushed through Bonnie in an almost overbearing amount and she was quick to follow his hint and began to walk in the direction of the apartment's staircase. In mere moments, she was in their bedroom, gazing at the beautiful sight before her.

"Oh Damon..."

Lilac scented candles lit up the room in a pretty glow and engulfed it with their pleasant aromas. Red rose petals were strewn across their bed and in the center, sat the glass container that held the water from the fountain of youth. The water that Stefan had ventured into the dark dimension to find. The water that would allow both her and Elena to be with Damon and Stefan forever without having to turn.

"I wanted this night to be memorable for you...for it surely will be for me," Damon said as he stepped into the room behind her.

Bonnie spun around to face him, her mouth initially opening to verbally reply to his words but in the end, she could only manage a gasp. In his hands, Damon was holding a small black box.

A small smirk crossed Damon's lips. "I know what you must be thinking...and you're mainly correct, although this isn't a typical kind of proposal." He then opened the box, revealing a gorgeous ring with a gold band, a decent sized diamond in the center that was circled by tiny rubies.

Bonnie already felt tears of happiness burning and threatening to leak from her eyes but she managed to keep her composure as she continued to listen to his words.

Damon's gaze was serious now but she could also clearly see the love reflecting from his dark eyes. "This isn't me asking you to marry me per se. Legally, we can't do that in an official way but...it _is_ me asking you to spend an eternity with me. Will you do me that honor, Bonnie McCullough?" He held out the ring to her.

Bonnie no longer made an effort to hold back the tears that had been begging to leak out. They delicately fell down her cheeks as she took the ring from him, immediately slipping it onto her finger. "I...yes! Of course I will Damon." She then wrapped her arms and legs around him in a koala grip as she passionately kissed him, their lips molding together perfectly.

Damon let out a low, barely audible groan against her mouth before he carried her in the direction of their bed, gently setting her down on top of the mattress and rose petals.

"I love you," Bonnie whispered once their lips finally parted.

"I love you as well," Damon replied as he hovered on top of her, being careful to not put his full weight on her.

Bonnie smiled peacefully. It was still sort of rare to hear Damon say the 'L' word but it seemed like he was growing more and more accustomed to it as time went by.

It was then that Damon lifted up the tiny vial that had been sitting on the bed, holding it over to her. "And now we can start our eternity together...if you're ready."

Bonnie sat up and took the vial from him, uncorking it in preparation to drink. "I'm ready."

Moments after the deed was done, she allowed herself to get lost in the wonderful feeling of Damon's kisses and touches...a feeling that she would get to experience over and over again...forever.

 **The End**


End file.
